Water inlet structure for washing machines



3, 1951 A. L. BRIGGS 2,552,398

WATER INLET STRUCTURE FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed April 28, 1949 Bnnentor attorney Patented May 8, 1951 WATER INLET STRUCTURE FOR WASHING MACHINES Allan L. Briggs, Jamestown, N. Y., assignor to Blackstone Corporation, Jamestown, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application April 28, 1949, Serial N 0. 90,198

3 Claims. (01. 68-207) This invention relates to an improvement in Washing machines and particularly to structure having to do with the water supply for'such machines.

Many of the washing machines now on the market are of the so-called semi-automatic 01' automatic type. These machines are designed to be coupled more or less permanently with a hot and cold water supply line and a drainage line. They are, therefore, equipped with a water inlet tube or nozzle that is located adjacent the washing receptacle. Substantially all the machines of this type provide for the automatic or manual control of the various steps in a Washing operation. These steps, of course, include filling the washing receptacle, agitating articles in the receptacle, draining the Water from the washed articles, and a rinsing operation, and if the machine is of the centrifugal type, drying the articles after rinsing. It has been found that in certain localities water supply is irregular and at times out ofif entirely, and when so cut off there may be suction of air into any line chancingto be open. Should a washing machine of the type under consideration be in operation when water supply was shut OE and the machine had reached that point in a Washing cycle that called for thesupplying of additional wash water, air would be drawn into the tube or nozzle located adjacent the washing receptacle. It is obvious that soap suds, dirty wash water, or other residue could, under such circumstances, be drawn into the water supply line and possibly contaminate the water supply as and when the water was again turned on and withdrawn from the same or other outlets.

The present invention has been developed for the purpose of preventing drawing foreign matter from a washing machine into the water supply line and at the same time provide means by which water may be most evenly distributed within a washing receptacle. To this end there is provided a nozzle sufficiently remote and protected from the washing receptacle as to prevent any of the liquid or suds contents thereof from entering it, and a water jet deflector that serves to direct a stream of water into the receptacle at the desired place and in a satisfactory manner.

It is, therefore, an important object of the invention to provide a fixed water inlet structure for Washing machines that combines a water supply safeguard with a satisfactory Water distributor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from a consideration of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing; and. in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top view, partly in sec-- tion, of a washing machine in which one form; of the invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the structure of the invention as it appears in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical view, partly in section, taken substantially as suggested by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the reference numeral H3 is employed to generally designate a washing machine of the type to which the invention is found applicable. The machine indicated includes a rectangular cabinet H in which is located a cylindrical splash and drainage ring l2. The ring [2, although not so shown, i fixedly supported and is intended to provide means for conveying all water overflow from the washing receptacle It to a suitable drain. The receptacle [3 includes a base I4 and circular upright wall I6 which may terminate in an inturned rim ll. The space [8 between the washing receptacle and the splash ring, is sufficient to accommodate all water overflow from the receptacle and permit rotation of the receptacle, should it be of the centrifugal drying type.

One location and form of water inlet to the machine Ill i suggested by the pipe 59. Within the cabinet II, the pipe terminates in a unit 2| that houses a control valve operable, for example, by means of a control cable 22. Projecting from the top of the unit 2| is a flexible coupling 23. The end of this coupling is shown to be fitted with a sleeve 24 which projects into and is joined to the walls of a depression 2'6 formed in the rear wall 21 of a shield 28. A small opening 29 in the base of the depression 26 causes this part of the structure to serve as a nozzle to direct a stream of water, under pressure, toward the ring l2. The shield 28 includes side walls 3| which, along their flanges 32, are joined to the outer face of the ring 12 in any suitable manner, as by screws 33. Centrally of the area confined by the shield, the ring is provided with an opening 34 which is in such relationship to the opening 29 as to allow entry of a jet of water to the ring interior. It Will be noted that the nozzle is sufiiciently spaced from the ring 12 to prevent the passage of liquid or suds from within the ring into the opening 29. Any overflow through the opening 34 will pass downwardly within the walls of the shield, caught in a suitable trough 3 38, and returned to the ring interior at a point below the nozzle.

Mounted within the ring 12 is a water jet distributor and deflector 31, having a rim 38 that may be attached to the inner face of the ring by the screws 33. This deflector includes a curved, flared bell 39 which is divided into two parts by a central depression M. The purpose of flaring the bell of the deflector and so dividing it is to assure desired central distribution of liquid in the receptacle 13. Of course, it will be understood that the deflector 31 is mounted to enclose the opening 34 and, thus, a jet of water passing through openings 29 and 3 1 will contact the bell and be directed downwardly into the receptacle. Furthermore, it will be observed that the deflector is located well above the rim H oi the receptacle and extends inwardly a suitable distance beyond said rim. Thus, it would be virtually impossible for the receptacle to be so filled with suds that such suds could be forced under the bell of the deflector and outwardly of the ring through the opening 34. However, if this condition occurred, any suds or liquid passing outwardly through the opening 3 2 would run downwardly on the outside of the ring and be caught in the trough 3E. The opening 35, although large enough to permit entry to the ring of a jet of water, is nevertheless small enough to tend to retard the outwarc flow oi" suds created in the receptacle.

Although applicant has shown and described only one form of his invention by which to provide a safeguarded water inlet supply and satisfactory water distribution, it will be understood that variations of the structure may be made in adapting it to other types of washing machines and that such variations are contemplated as being within the spirit and scope of the invention insofar as they appear in the annexed claims.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is:

1. In a washing machine having an open top washing receptacle located within a splash and drainage ring, a water inlet device comprising a bifurcated deflector adapted to distribute water generally centrally of said receptacle, said deflector being secured to the inner upper edge of said ring and extending over the open top of said receptacle, a water inlet nozzle connectable with. a water supply, said nozzle being spaced from the exterior of said ring and directed toward an opening therein located beneath said deflector, a shield laterally enclosing the space between said nozzle and the opening in said ring and a trough secured to the outer face of said ring, said trough being located vertically beneath and spaced from said shield, said ring being apertured at the base of said trough to provide a return drain, into the interior of said ring, of any excess liquid entering said shield.

'2. In a washing machine having an open top washing receptacle located within a splash and drainage ring, a water inlet device comprising a water distributing deflector secured to and extending inwardly of the upper edge of said ring, a downwardly curved slightly bifurcated portion of said deflector extending over the open top of said receptacle, 2. water inlet nozzle connectable with a water supply, said nozzle being laterally spaced from the exterior of said ring and directed toward an opening in said ring located directly beneath said deflector, a shield laterally enclosing the space between said nozzle and the opening in said ring, a trough secured to the outer face of said ring beneath said shield, said ring being apertured at the base of said trough, said shield and trough cooperating to direct excess liquid from said deflector or said nozzle into said ring.

3.- In a washing machine having an open top receptacle located within a splash and drainage ring, a water inlet device comprising a water distributing deflector secured to and extending inwardly of said ring above said receptacle, a downwardly curved slightly bifurcated portion of said deflector extending laterally over the top of said receptacle, said ring having an opening located directly beneath said deflector, an upstanding channel-like shield attached to the exterior of said ring and enclosing the opening therein, a circular depression formed in the rear wall of said shield having a small centered opening, a water supply connector projecting into said depression, the wall opening in said shield constituting a nozzle for theopen end of said connector.

ALLAN L. BRIGGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,769,836 Holmes July 1, 1930 1,965,379 Jewell July 3, 1934 2,211,459 Dawson Aug. 13, 1940 2,250,974 Stoddard July 29, 1941 2,268,204 Dunham Dec. 30, 1941 2,417,908 Bowen Mar. 25, 1947 2,498,179 Oliver Feb. 21, .1950 

